Sue M's Travels: Kenya day 20

First thing this morning I went for a walk through the village. It was bright and sunny until I got back to the entrance to our driveway. Then the heavens opened and I was soaked by the time I got back to the centre, so I needed a quick change before going for breakfast.

Black-headed Oriole

The power has been off since after breakfast until 10 minutes ago, so everyone's laptop batteries, phones, etc have run out and we had to find alternative things to do. As it happens, a big clean up had been scheduled for the kitchen, so I went and got put onto making dinner. I have sorted beans, peeled carrots, garlic and onions, pounded the garlic to a paste in a mortar and pestle and chopped onions and tomatoes. Meanwhile the kitchen equipment and storage furniture was removed and scrubbed, and the walls and floor washed down. We were really ready for lunch when the time came!

In the afternoon I went round the Nature Trail with Kirao, who is the expert on its plants and animals, and Rose and Sabina who are two of the volunteers who are training in hospitality. It was their first time in there, and I think they were surprised at how much there is to see. We found a pupa of the butterfly Phalantha phalantha, the big orange one; the pupa looks almost jewel-like.

There was still no power, so I went to the beach and took the waterproof camera.